Areas

Ensembles

Faculty

UNC Music Education
Advising Advice

Please read below. Not everything applies to everybody right now -- but most of it will indeed apply to each of you at one time or another!

GENERAL ADVISING ADVICE

Ultimately, YOU (the student!) are responsible for your course selection and for tracking your own progress through your degree plan. Your advisors certainly play an important role in helping you with this, and of course, our music education faculty members are happy to help as well. But again, ultimately, YOU are responsible for knowing what you need to take, for knowing what's-offered-when, and for avoiding course conflicts.

Our course scheduling document shows what courses are offered only in the fall, or only in the spring, or both semesters, and it shows the current time offerings for these classes as well.

Following your recommended four-year-plan (for our undergraduate degree programs) will help ensure that you meet the prerequisites for particular courses as you progress through the program. (Please note one small discrepancy that appeared in some earlier versions of the Vocal-Piano-General BME plans: MUS 311 is only offered in the spring semester.)

In addition to inspecting the attached course scheduling document, you can also find out what's-offered-when through Ursa, or through the "schedule of classes" website. (You can navigate to it as follows: From the UNC homepage, select "schedule of classes" at the bottom, and then "public class schedule.") There, you can select specific terms, subject matters, instructors, and so on. If you're curious about course offerings in an upcoming semester that's not yet listed, in most cases you can inspect the prior-year, same-semester schedule to see what's likely to be available in the subsequent year.

Please be aware of the bulletin board across from Frasier 122. There is very helpful information there about field hours requirements, the PLACE test, piano proficiency requirements, and more (similar to what can be found on this "music ed. info" website). ALSO be aware of the bulletin board by Dr. Mills' office (Frasier 127A) for important information related to student teaching.

Attention FRESHMEN especially: If you haven't taken EDFE 110, we urge you to do so now (or as soon as you have completed 15 credits!). You can even take it during the SUMMER -- it's a zero-cost, zero-credit "paperwork" course in which you complete the necessary materials which will allow you to visit schools as part of your field experience requirements. (There are costs associated with fingerprinting and the background check.)

Attention SOPHOMORES especially: EDFE 120 should normally be taken AFTER you have completed the piano proficiency, and after you have taken and passed MUS 210. It is also available in the summer!

You need be registered for EDFE 130 (Student Teaching Application) during the semester PRIOR to your planned student teaching semester. (For example, if you plan to student teach in Fall 2014, you should be registered for EDFE 130 for Spring 2014.)

Again, be aware of the bulletin board by Dr. Mills' office (Frasier 127A) for important information related to student teaching -- particularly for sign-up times related to EDFE 130 paperwork.

SOME PARTICULAR COURSE TIME CONFLICTS TO AVOID

Attention all INSTRUMENTAL BMEs, especially SOPHOMORES: Have you taken MUS 360 (Voice class)? Are you registered for it for next semester? (It meets Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 - 10:20; same time, both semesters.) If not, and if it otherwise doesn't conflict with your schedule, and if you have room in your schedule, and if it's okay with your advisor, you might want to consider taking it soon, if possible. We've often found students encountering course conflicts with this course later on in their program, if by chance their program diverges from the recommended four-year plans.

Attention everyone, especially VOCAL-PIANO-GENERAL BMEs: Have you taken MUS 361 (Single Reed & Flute class)? Are you registered for it for next semester? (In the Fall, it meets Monday and Wednesday, 9:05 - 9:55; in the Spring, it meets Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 - 10:20.) If not, and if it otherwise doesn't conflict with your schedule, and if you have room in your schedule, and if it's okay with your advisor, you might want to consider taking it soon, if possible. We've often found BME VPG students encountering course conflicts with this course later on in their program, if by chance their program diverges from the recommended four-year plans.

STUDENT TEACHING

We recommend that you take the PLACE test ONE YEAR prior to your planned student teaching semester. (For example, if you plan to student teach in Fall 2014, you should plan to take the PLACE test in Fall 2013.) This is "late enough" in your program for your coursework to help you in taking the test, but also early enough so that if you don't pass, there's still time to re-take the test. Everyone must pass the PLACE test prior to student teaching. Registration information can be found here: http://www.place.nesinc.com/

Again, be aware of the bulletin board by Dr. Mills' office (Frasier 127A) for important information related to student teaching -- particularly for sign-up times related to EDFE 130 paperwork.